D I V E R S I T Y
“We were all on the outside
at one point of our careers
and would love to introduce
business aviation to women just
beginning their careers”
Catherine Buchannan
Chief operating officer at charter
operator and broker Vertis Aviation
How and why did you get into
business aviation?
I was enamored with aircraft from a
young age and joined the air cadets
at 13. I started flying regularly and my
love for aviation was solidified when I
worked with a microlight training school
called Flylight Airsports as a 15-yearold.
I continued on this trajectory with
my BSc degree in Aviation Technology
and Management at the University of
Leeds in the UK, which led to a job at a
charter brokerage.
What does Vertis Aviation do to
encourage more women to join
the company?
Although we are a small business,
women sit on our board and there Is
a focus on diversity. We are always
looking for the good quality candidates
first and foremost, regardless of their
gender. Half of our team are female.
Compared to the industry average, we
are at a significantly higher percentage
when it comes to gender diversity.
Is aviation encouraging enough
women into the sector?
There are more women working in
aviation today, especially in positions
that were once seen as “jobs for
men”. There are women in leading
senior positions at the established
aviation companies. However, most
improvements come from companies
that are newer or have more young
people involved. They are able to push
the boundaries of our industry in many
ways, one of which is moving away
from a male-dominated culture and
being genuinely open to diversity. We
have come a long way but there is still
a lot of work to be done to achieve
gender parity.
How do we encourage more
women into business aviation?
It starts at a young age, before girls
start thinking about their careers
or before their interests have even
fully developed. Making Science,
technology, engineering, and
mathematics as appealing to girls
as it is to boys and helping parents
to encourage their daughters to view
aviation as an option and making
a career in aviation the norm for
women. These would all go along way
in stimulating more women to enter
the sector. I even think the goal isn’t
necessarily to have more women in
aviation, it’s more broadly for women to
feel like they can be successful in any
field they choose.
What has been the proudest
achievement in your career?
Establishing our Dubai office, growing
a brand in a completely new region
and making it successful enough that
we had to hire more team members
has been the major achievement of my
career. Holding a C-Suite position at
a dynamic business aviation company
makes me extremely proud.
What advice would you give to
women interested in a career in
business aviation?
Don’t be afraid to contact women
currently working in the industry, we
were all on the outside at one point
of our careers and would love to
introduce business aviation to women
just beginning their careers. The
opportunity to inspire a new generation
of women in aviation is something I
want to make a part of my work as I
move forward in my career.
BUSINESS AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL A P R I L 2 0 2 0 | 43